Slow children signs and other mysteries of life

Best news I heard all week: The Journal adding a Tuesday print edition at newsstands (no home delivery) beginning March 23. If you love reading, if you love newspapers, if you love/care about Flint, Genesee County and the surrounding area, today is a good, good day. Sure, the talk radio haters and Tea Party types will scoff. They love pretending there’s a vast liberal media conspiracy against them, even at the local level.

But I think it's wonderful. I dearly love newspapers, and a Tuesday edition is a step forward. I'm not privy to the paper's long-term strategy, so don't think I'm hinting at anything here, but adding a fourth day is the first step toward adding a fifth day, and a fifth day might mean we'll someday see a daily newspaper back in Genesee County, which would be good for everyone, whether they subscribe or not.

Also, newspapers are flat-out just important to society. They act as a check on government large and small. And a Tuesday edition is particularly welcome because of all the Monday night government meetings. Stories that come out of those meetings, while often dull, are vitally important. You have to know what's happening in your community before you can care about it and get involved, I figure.

So welcome back, Tuesday Journal. I’ll see you at the newsstand March 23.

What did I tell you? I say Dan Kildee should be governor and he drops out of the race a week later. I’m a regular Poison Mary. Politicians fear me.

A few months ago, Mayor Dayne Walling and the City Council signed a kissy-kissy pact, promising to work together. Then this week, Walling said, “City council took a legitimate cost-saving proposal and turned it into a political ax against the administration.” So I guess we’re back to reality, eh? This is better, actually. Democracy isn’t supposed to be a cuddle-fest. Then again, neither is it supposed to be a boxing match, as past councils and mayors treated it. Somewhere in the middle is just fine.

Deep Thought of the Week: Have you noticed that “Slow Children” street signs feature a boy wearing knickers? They should update that and have the boy wearing saggy pants. Then he really would be slow.

Deep Thought of the Week II: Just once I’d like to see the inside a refrigerator on TV look like mine with tubs of mystery food in the back, milk jugs with one drop left returned to the fridge by the helpful teenager and 5,000 salad dressing bottles of indeterminate age.

Need Has a Face. This week it looks like the Wilsons, who are struggling in these difficult times. They have a severely asthmatic 2-year-old and need vacuum cleaner with a hepa filter. To help, call Jan Roberts, Hurley Asthma Clinical Outreach, (810) 257-959. Information for these reports provided by Resource Genesee. Need help or can you offer help? Call their hotline at (810) 767-0500.

"It’s absurd to divide people into good or bad. People are either charming or tedious" - Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Irish writer and poet.